In the Name of God
by Koi no Soshan
Summary: Mukashi Tales. Atemu prepares himself to make his name a seal, if not to the great power he was unable to release, then at least to the demon he was unable to prevent the release of. Gen.


**Disclaimer:** Yuugiou (Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! Duel Monsters) is the property of Takahashi Kazuki and respective publishers, including Shueisha, Studio Gallop, Nihon Ad Systems, Toei Animation, 4Kids, and others. I would never claim to own it or attempt to make money off of it- just think of this as a written, free doujinshi and hopefully we'll get along fine ;)

* * *

**In the Name of God**

Atemu despaired, and Kemet along with him.

The horizon was a terrible blending of darkness and flames, enough to make one disdain the color red for the rest of one's life. Blood, fire, destruction…it was seeping its way into the world more steadily than it ever had before, even through wars, plagues, famines, and disasters that wracked the earth. More dead than he thought could ever be counted, and their loss weighed heavily on his heart.

He was responsible for this, he had been unable to prevent this force's rising, and now his people and land were paying the price.

From the walls of the palace where he stood overseeing the forces preparing for the demon's arrival, Atemu closed his eyes. The Three Phantom Gods had not been enough, even their power only capable of slowing the darkness down. He had been so certain they were the great power Chichi-ue had told him of, the divine power only a god could wield. Were they not named gods themselves, and only the Pharaoh's to command?

What more could there be? What had his father spoken of that day, as he lay on his deathbed and prepared Atemu for his passing? It was a terrible memory, but things more terrible yet had occurred during these past battles, and if he didn't discover a key they would not be the last. It was about his position, and his duty…

_My son, justice is in the name of god. As Pharaoh you are god among men, and it is your fate to hold responsibility for both the joys and tragedies of your people. Your Kaa is holy, your Baa is holy, your Ibu is holy, and your Ren the seal to a great power which only a god can wield._

So his name was a seal, meant to open the sealing on some great power. But if it was not the Three Phantom Gods, then what could it be? Was there some greater power than them which his name might make available? He didn't have _time_ to search for such a power, though, not with the demon almost upon them. Then…perhaps it could be used, not just to open a seal, but to seal something away?

"Pharaoh? Pharaoh!"

The call broke through Atemu's trance, and he looked to the outside world again, heart pounding in shock. He looked up at Mahaado, floating alongside him, and nodded, trying to shove aside the wish for the days when he could have grinned at Mahaado and made some joke, preferably about his deplorable lack of a relationship with Mana. Now, with Mahaado a spirit of Kaa and Mana floundering in her separation from him, he doubted that such a joke would ever be appropriate again, even if…

He swallowed hard and shoved the thought back. "Mahaado…"

_As Pharaoh you are god among men…_

Atemu's name was to be the seal…but no, that wasn't enough. A village sacrificed to create the Sennen Items, life sacrificed for Mahaado to gain the full power of the Magician of Illusions, Chichi-ue's sacrifice allowing him to lead the spirits of Kul Elna into the underworld… Great magic required great sacrifice, and what better to oppose such evil than his divine soul?

"Pharaoh, what is wrong?" Mahaado's voice was quiet but forceful, and he lowered his form so that he could stand by Atemu and place a hand on his arm tentatively, as if fearing that he would fall.

That was all it took, and Atemu choked, burying his face in Mahaado's armor. He clung to his friend, paying no heed to Mahaado's shock. He was very aware of the barriers between them, no matter how he ignored them verbally, but as he had after Chichi-ue's death, he felt the need to _truly_ ignore them for just a short while.

"Ouji?" Mana's voice came from behind him, hesitant and sad.

He pulled back slightly, though not releasing Mahaado, to turn and look at her. "Mana…"

"Ouji will be all right, won't he?" Mana asked, trying to give a weak smile, one which fell from her face as she searched his own expression. "Won't he?" He couldn't respond, and watched, helpless, as tears formed in her eyes. Mana grabbed him with a sob. "Ouji, don't go too!"

"I'm sorry, Mana," Atemu murmured, taking hold of her hand tightly for a moment before moving away. He took in the sight of his friends, those who had known him so long and well. He always had been the furthest from Pharaoh or prince while in their company, and hadn't the words to express how grateful he was for that. "Thank you, both of you. Please take care of each other."

_It is your fate to hold responsibility for both the joys and tragedies of your people…_

Atemu looked to his comrades, still standing strong beside him through all of their losses. Seto, who had lost his father and a woman he loved, and now fought with the Kaa she had given him the right to command; Aishisu, who had lost her closest friends and yet found it in her to continue; Mahaado, who had died for him and still returned to protect his friend; and Mana, who could hide under a bright face and fight on even as her heart was breaking.

They were his treasured friends, even if too many of them considered themselves his subjects first or exclusively, and he would do this for them if nothing else. No more of them would be sacrificed, and what little they had managed to save would be protected.

His decision burning in him, Atemu summoned his Kaa. The screech of Heruweru filled his ears, and he smiled, placing his hand on the rough feathers of a form that was both falcon and serpentine. For just a moment he stroked Heruweru's neck before mounting him.

Looking back, he nodded to his friends before focusing on his cousin. "Seto, my name will be the seal. Become Pharaoh after me and destroy all records of it, so that this evil will never be released into the world again."

Atemu only waited for a nod from Seto in acquiescence before taking flight. When he was a short distance from the palace he paused and raised his Dia Diank. "Come forth, Three Phantom Gods! Oshirisu's Heavenly Dragon, Raa's Winged God Dragon, Obelisk's Giant God Soldier!"

He sent them on to face the demon, and continued on his own more roundabout flight to Kul Elna. Strange as it sounded, the Phantom Gods were only diversions, meant to buy him the time to take the necessary tools for his spell. The fighting began, and he tried to focus as much of his attention on it as he could while still directing Heruweru's flight.

Soon he arrived, faltering as he dismounted Heruweru. He all but staggered over to the Tablet of the Underworld, and had to brace himself against it for a moment. Then he took up the Puzzle, and after a moment's contemplation grabbed the Ring as well. The thief Bakura's Kaa had changed shape after he'd stolen it, and Mahaado had first discovered the evil of the Sennen Items through wielding the Ring. It was the original container for this evil, and he would make it so again.

His attention over the Phantom Gods had broken, but returned with a shock as he felt them slain. The force of their destruction sent him to his knees, and he had to call Heruweru directly to him and force himself to mount the falcon again. As he flew he pulled strength from the Puzzle, carefully avoiding the Ring, and forced Heruweru's speed to increase. With the Phantom Gods gone the demon's path to the palace would be unobstructed…he had to come between them quickly.

He was behind Zorc, apparently, and had so far escaped the demon's attention. Good. He directed Heruweru downwards, dismounting and stepping onto the damaged ground as quietly as possible. Finally he allowed Heruweru's form to fade- the physical presence of his Kaa in the spell he planned might not be a detriment to the spell, but he was unwilling to risk anything. This was his last chance, the only plan left to him…

"Zorc!"

At his call the demon stopped, looking down on him with burning red eyes and a face always arranged into a leer. "Pharaoh, you still try to stop me?"

Atemu narrowed his eyes and threw the Sennen Ring down by the demon's feet. "I seek to return you to your home in the World of Darkness."

With that he focused on his Heka, his soul, and the awful power of the Sennen Items. He would have preferred for his spirit never to touch them again, but it was a sacrifice worth making if his remaining people would escape this demon's wrath.

_Your Kaa is holy…_

He began to place that within the Puzzle first, the beginnings of the spell being woven around them. Being separated from his Kaa was more than pain, a soul-deep agony that made him understand why so few sorcerers ever managed to do else but become their Kaa when the separation was made. But he was joining that part of his soul, would not lose his Heka and Heruweru, and kept the link, still drawing on that power as he continued the spell.

_Your Baa is holy…_

He knew his essence was being ripped out along with his Kaa now, the only option when one clung as he was doing now. The same was happening to the demon, and he took satisfaction in that, watching as its form vanished, falling through the Ring and then into the darkness which had originally housed it.

_Your Ibu is holy…_

His heart went as well now, mind, memories, emotions and everything else that made Atemu himself. All three were flowing now, making their home within the four walls of false gold, but he was still just connected enough to look outside with his body and see the world he was dying for.

Apparently Zorc had less of a heart, for already he was almost fully vanished. To his shock, though, another form began to appear…the spirit of the thief Bakura released and standing before the Ring.

Move!

He tried to call out, because _no one_ deserved to be bound in with that demon, and he was responsible for the suffering of this thief as well, for the destruction of his village. Bakura's quest had once been in the right, one which he could understand though he would never forgive the deaths which had been caused, and the least he could do was offer the thief freedom.

But his voice was gone, and already it was too late, the thief's spirit dragged into the Ring along with the demon named Zorc. And a moment later he saw nothing but darkness, gone from his body as well, all three of them fully sealed away by the power of his name.

_Justice is in the name of god…_

* * *

**AN:**

The Mukashi Tales are a series of stories exploring ancient times, and are counted as consistent back-story for all my stories which don't specifically explore their own ancient AUs. Even then Mukashi Tales will count as back-story up until the point of change. I have a decent number in the works, but I can't promise a new story in this series with any regularity, since I tend to work on them in my spare time.

Vocabulary: Chichi-ue is a respectful term for father, while Ouji means prince. Kemet (kmt) is the Egyptian term for, well, Egypt. Kaa (kA) and Baa (bA) here follow their uses within the last season of Yuugiou. Ibu (jb) is the Egyptian term for the heart, and Ren (rn) is their term for name. There are more parts in ancient Egypt defined as being part of the soul, but I tend to focus on the ones which we see the most evidence of in Yuugiou.

Atemu's own Kaa is not shown in the series, so I can sort of claim Heruweru (hr-wr), whose name the name is taken from one of Horus's (hr) many forms.

Heka (HkA) is specifically the magical aura, the use of magic, and the level of one's magic (and can also refer to the exercise of the Kaa), a definition I pull from the many uses of the word in the last season of Yuugiou.

The Three Phantom Gods (or Illusory/Apparition/some other variation) are originally called the Sangenshin. On Oshirisu no Tenkuuryuu: technically 'tenkuu' simply means sky. Heavenly was used instead, not to refer to 'heaven', but for the poetic feel of calling the sky the heavens. Hey, the English names are unwieldy enough that I wanted to do something to give a better feel!

Akunamukanon's quote here, 'Justice is in the name of god', is based on one from episode 202: 'Seigi wa kami no na no moto ni.'

When Akunamukanon uses the world seal, a more accurate modern word would be key. In ancient Egypt seals were used as both locks and keys, though imprecise ones, and the repercussions of illegally breaking seals, along with guards to locked areas, were often more effective deterrents than the seals themselves. Thus leading to the double meaning in Atemu's interpretation of the statement.


End file.
